Search results for: fibernectin expression

Authors: Yong-Kian Lim, Khan Cheung, Xin Dang, Steven Roberts, Xiaotong Wang, Vengatesen Thiyagarajan

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Unprecedented rate of increased CO₂ level in the ocean and the subsequent changes in carbonate system including decreased pH, known as ocean acidification (OA), is predicted to disrupt not only the calcification process but also several other physiological and developmental processes in a variety of marine organisms, including edible oysters. Nonetheless, not all species are vulnerable to those OA threats, e.g., some species may be able to cope with OA stress using environmentally induced modifications on gene and protein expressions. For example, external environmental stressors, including OA, can influence the addition and removal of methyl groups through epigenetic modification (e.g., DNA methylation) process to turn gene expression “on or off” as part of a rapid adaptive mechanism to cope with OA. In this study, the above hypothesis was tested through testing the effect of OA, using decreased pH 7.4 as a proxy, on the DNA methylation pattern of an endemic and a commercially important estuary oyster species, Crassostrea hongkongensis, at the time of larval habitat selection and metamorphosis. Larval growth rate did not differ between control pH 8.1 and treatment pH 7.4. The metamorphosis rate of the pediveliger larvae was higher at pH 7.4 than those in control pH 8.1; however, over one-third of the larvae raised at pH 7.4 failed to attach to an optimal substrate as defined by biofilm presence. During larval development, a total of 130 genes were differentially methylated across the two treatments. The differential methylation in the larval genes may have partially accounted for the higher metamorphosis success rate under decreased pH 7.4 but with poor substratum selection ability. Differentially methylated loci were concentrated in the exon regions and appear to be associated with cytoskeletal and signal transduction, oxidative stress, metabolic processes, and larval metamorphosis, which implies the high potential of C. hongkongensis larvae to acclimate and adapt through non-genetic ways to OA threats within a single generation.

Keywords: adaptive plasticity, DNA methylation, larval metamorphosis, ocean acidification

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Authors: Mehrdad Abkenari, Orod Zarrinkafsh, Mohsen Ramezan Shirazi

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Construction projects initiate in complicated dynamic environments and, due to the close relationships between project parameters and the unknown outer environment, they are faced with several uncertainties and risks. Success in time, cost and quality in large scale construction projects is uncertain in consequence of technological constraints, large number of stakeholders, too much time required, great capital requirements and poor definition of the extent and scope of the project. Projects that are faced with such environments and uncertainties can be well managed through utilization of the concept of risk management in project’s life cycle. Although the concept of risk is dependent on the opinion and idea of management, it suggests the risks of not achieving the project objectives as well. Furthermore, project’s risk analysis discusses the risks of development of inappropriate reactions. Since evaluation and prioritization of construction projects has been a difficult task, the network structure is considered to be an appropriate approach to analyze complex systems; therefore, we have used this structure for analyzing and modeling the issue. On the other hand, we face inadequacy of data in deterministic circumstances, and additionally the expert’s opinions are usually mathematically vague and are introduced in the form of linguistic variables instead of numerical expression. Owing to the fact that fuzzy logic is used for expressing the vagueness and uncertainty, formulation of expert’s opinion in the form of fuzzy numbers can be an appropriate approach. In other words, the evaluation and prioritization of construction projects on the basis of risk factors in real world is a complicated issue with lots of ambiguous qualitative characteristics. In this study, evaluated and prioritization the risk parameters and factors with fuzzy logy method by combination of three method DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation), ANP (Analytic Network Process) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order-Preference by Similarity Ideal Solution) on Construction Management.

Keywords: fuzzy logy, risk, prioritization, assessment

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Authors: Neeraj Shetye

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A common phenomenon between the rise of leaders like Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in the 20th century is their 'charisma'. They possessed the ability to seduce the crowd not just by the things they said but also by the way they said it. Aristotle defined rhetoric as an art of persuasion and reasoning which is how social scientists understand the concept. Political rhetoric in a modern democracy has several complexities including the huge number of speakers, quantity of information, diverse viewpoints, number of candidates and the impact of digital age. Politics in India since the seventies have been 'visibly dominated' by uses of rhetorical language and with a number of slogans. This idea of how language can steer an individual to establish or adopt a certain viewpoint has not been a focus of study in the Indian discourse. In a linguistically diverse region such as India, the idea of political rhetoric is vast and may not be accomplished in a year. There are in-depth studies by western thinkers on European or American political rhetoric unlike their Asian counterparts such as China, India or any of the Pacific nations. India saw an integration of states based on languages. Keeping this idea in mind, this paper aims to cover one political party that rose to its prominence over five decades and most significantly known for its conservative expression: Shivsena. Shivsena’s rise during the eighties and eventually establishing their government in the nineties are two fascinating periods to focus especially with a simultaneous rise of Bombay underworld, Babri demolition and major economic policy changes in the form of liberalisation (1991) and globalization (1995). This project attempts to study this with a two-fold methodology: literature review and fieldwork. There is an immense literature on Shivsena by both its admirers and critiques, contributing to both sides of the debate. Scholars have been writing about this party over these years and have keenly observed its growing popularity amongst the masses. There is just one intention behind this project, and it is to connect and analyse the vast, dispersed literature that is available and contribute to a field that has not been adequately analysed in the academic discourse.

Keywords: India, language, political rhetoric, Shivsena, slogans

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Authors: Qin Yang, Fan Zhang, Juan Du, Chongkui Sun, Krishna Kota, Yun-Ling Zheng

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Telomeres are specialized structures at chromosome ends consisting of tandem repetitive DNA sequences [(TTAGGG)n in humans] and associated proteins, which are necessary for telomere function. Telomere lengths are tightly regulated within a narrow range in normal human somatic cells, the basis of cellular senescence and aging. Previous studies have extensively focused on how short telomeres are extended and have demonstrated that telomerase plays a central role in telomere maintenance through elongating the short telomeres. However, the molecular mechanisms of regulating excessively long telomeres are unknown. Here, we found that telomerase enzymatic component hTERT plays a dual role in the regulation of telomeres length. We analyzed single telomere alterations at each chromosomal end led to the discoveries that hTERT shortens excessively long telomeres and elongates short telomeres simultaneously, thus maintaining the optimal telomere length at each chromosomal end for an efficient protection. The hTERT-mediated telomere shortening removes large segments of telomere DNA rapidly without inducing telomere dysfunction foci or affecting cell proliferation, thus it is mechanistically distinct from rapid telomere deletion. We found that expression of hTERT generates telomeric circular DNA, suggesting that telomere homologous recombination may be involved in this telomere shortening process. Moreover, the hTERT-mediated telomere shortening is required its enzymatic activity, but telomerase RNA component hTR is not involved in it. Furthermore, shelterin protein TPP1 interacts with hTERT and recruits it on telomeres to mediate telomere shortening. In addition, telomere-associated proteins, DKC1 and TCAB1 also play roles in this process. This novel hTERT-mediated telomere shortening mechanism not only exists in cancer cells, but also in primary human cells. Thus, the hTERT-mediated telomere shortening is expected to shift the paradigm on current molecular models of telomere length maintenance, with wide-reaching consequences in cancer and aging fields.

Keywords: aging, hTERT, telomerase, telomeres, human cells

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Authors: Saima Murtaza

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Ethics and aesthetics have invariably remained the two closely integrated artistic appurtenances for the production of any work of art. These artistic devices configure themselves into a complex synthesis in our contemporary literature. The labyrinthine integration of ethics and aesthetics, operating in the lives of human characters, to the extent of transcending all limits has resulted in an artistic puzzle for the readers. Art, no doubt, is an extrinsic expression of the intrinsic life of man. The use of aesthetics in literature pertaining to human existence; aesthetic solipsism, has resulted in the artistic objectification of these characters. The practice of the like aestheticism deprives the characters of their souls, rendering them as mere objects of aesthetic gaze at the hands of their artists-creators. Artists orchestrate their lives founding it on a plot which deviates from normal social and ethical standards. Their perverse attitude can be seen in dealing with characters, their feelings and the incidents of their lives. Morality is made to appear not as a religious construct but as an individual’s private affair. Furthermore, the idea of beauty incarnated, in other words hedonistic aesthetic does not placate a true aesthete. Ethics and aesthetics are the two most recurring motifs of our contemporary literature, especially of Nabokov’s world. The purpose of this study is to peruse these aforementioned motifs in Nabokov’s most enigmatic novel Lolita, a story of pedophilia, which is in fact reflective of our complex individual psychic and societal patterns. The narrative subverts all the traditional and hitherto known notions of aesthetics and ethics. When applied to literature, aesthetic does not simply mean ‘beautiful’ in the text. It refers to an intricate relationship between feelings and perception and also incorporates within its range wide-ranging emotional reactions to text. The term aesthetics in literature is connected with the readers whose critical responses to the text determine the merit of any work to be really a piece of art. Aestheticism is the child of ethics. Morality sets the grounds for the production of any work and the idea of aesthetics gives it transcendence.

Keywords: ethics, aesthetics and hedonistic aesthetic, nymphet syndrome, pedophilia

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Authors: Pei Chi Fang, Wei Chen Lin

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Trichomonas tenax is a microaerophilic oral protozoan found in patients with poor oral hygiene. It participates in the inflammatory process of periodontal disease and can potentially be aspirated into the lungs, giving rise to pulmonary trichomoniasis. However, the precise roles of T. tenax in the pulmonary system remain largely unexplored and warrant comprehensive epidemiological investigation. To assess the prevalence of T. tenax infection, we collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from hospitalized patients with lung diseases. A specific nested PCR approach was employed to determine prevalence rates, yielding 21 positive cases out of 61 samples from Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, and 11 positive cases out of 55 samples from National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Furthermore, there is a critical need for comprehensive data regarding the presence of T. tenax in environmental surface watersheds. In this context, we present findings from investigations in the Yanshuei and Donggang river basins in southern Taiwan, which are crucial sources for public drinking water in the region. In order to elucidate potential implications on pulmonary virus infections, we conducted an analysis of gene expression level changes in H292 cell line after exposure to T. tenax. Our findings revealed significant regulation of multiple virus-related genes, including IFI44L and IFITM3. Ongoing research endeavors are focused on identifying the key components within T. tenax responsible for these observed effects. Crucially, this study lays the groundwork for a preliminary understanding of T. tenax prevalence in patients with pulmonary diseases. It also seeks to establish a meaningful correlation between lung infections and oral hygiene practices, with the ultimate aim of informing distinct treatment and prevention strategies.

Keywords: parasitology, genes, virus, human health, infection, lung

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Authors: Hanan Khojah, RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel

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Neurodegenerative disease including Alzheimer’s disease is a major cause of long-term disability. Oxidative stress is frequently implicated as one of the key contributing factors to neurodegenerative diseases. Protection against neuronal damage remains a great challenge for researchers. Ficus carica (commonly known as fig) is a species of great antioxidant nutritional value comprising a protective mechanism against innumerable health disorders related to oxidative stress as well as Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of this work was to characterize the non-polar active metabolites in Ficus carica endocarp, mesocarp, and exocarp. Crude extracts were prepared using several extraction solvents, which included 1:1 water: ethylacetate, acetone and methanol. The dried extracts were then solvent partitioned between equivalent amounts of water and ethylacetate. Purification and fractionation were accomplished by high-throughput chromatography. The isolated metabolites were tested on their effect on human neuroblastoma cell line by cell viability test and cell cytotoxicity assay with acrolein. Molecular weights of the active metabolites were determined via LC–HRESIMS and GC-EIMS. Metabolomic profiling was performed to identify the active metabolites by using differential expression analysis software (Mzmine) and SIMCA for multivariate analysis. Structural elucidation and identification of the interested active metabolites were studied by 1-D and 2-D NMR. Significant differences in bioactivity against a concentration-dependent assay on acrolein radicals were observed between the three fruit parts. However, metabolites obtained from mesocarp and the endocarp demonstrated bioactivity to scavenge ROS radical. NMR profiling demonstrated that aliphatic compounds such as γ-sitosterol tend to induce neuronal bioactivity and exhibited bioactivity on the cell viability assay. γ-Sitosterol was found in higher concentrations in the mesocarp and was considered as one of the major phytosterol in Ficus carica.

Keywords: alzheimer, Ficus carica, γ-Sitosterol, metabolomics

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Authors: M. Uysal, M. Yilmaz, I. Tiryakioğlu

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Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a digital numerical representation of the Earth's surface. DTMs have been applied to a diverse field of tasks, such as urban planning, military, glacier mapping, disaster management. In the expression of the Earth' surface as a mathematical model, an infinite number of point measurements are needed. Because of the impossibility of this case, the points at regular intervals are measured to characterize the Earth's surface and DTM of the Earth is generated. Hitherto, the classical measurement techniques and photogrammetry method have widespread use in the construction of DTM. At present, RADAR, LiDAR, and stereo satellite images are also used for the construction of DTM. In recent years, especially because of its superiorities, Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has an increased use in DTM applications. A 3D point cloud is created with LiDAR technology by obtaining numerous point data. However recently, by the development in image mapping methods, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for photogrammetric data acquisition has increased DTM generation from image-based point cloud. The accuracy of the DTM depends on various factors such as data collection method, the distribution of elevation points, the point density, properties of the surface and interpolation methods. In this study, the random data reduction method is compared for DTMs generated from image based point cloud data. The original image based point cloud data set (100%) is reduced to a series of subsets by using random algorithm, representing the 75, 50, 25 and 5% of the original image based point cloud data set. Over the ANS campus of Afyon Kocatepe University as the test area, DTM constructed from the original image based point cloud data set is compared with DTMs interpolated from reduced data sets by Kriging interpolation method. The results show that the random data reduction method can be used to reduce the image based point cloud datasets to 50% density level while still maintaining the quality of DTM.

Keywords: DTM, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), uniform, random, kriging

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Authors: Md. Alauddin, Md. Ruhul Amin, Md. Omar Faruque, Muhammad Ali Siddiquee, Zakir Hossain Howlader, Mohammad Asaduzzaman

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Diabetes and hypertension are the major lifestyle related diseases. The α-amylase and angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) are the key enzymes that regulate diabetes and hypertension. The aim was to develop a drug for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension. The Rice Bran (RB) sample (Oryza sativa; BRRI-Dhan-84) was collected from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), and rice bran proteins were isolated and hydrolyzed by hydrolyzing enzyme alcalase and trypsin. In vivo experiment suggested that rice bran bioactives has an effect on regulating the expression of several key gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis-regulating genes, such as glucose-6-phosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and fatty acid synthase. The above genes have a connection of regulating the glucose level, lipids profile as well as act as an anti-inflammatory agent. A molecular docking, bioinformatics and in vitro experiments were performed. We found rice bran protein hydrolysates significantly (<0.05) influence the peptide concentration in the case of trypsin, alcalase, and (trypsin + alcalase) digestion. The in vitro analysis found that protein hydrolysate significantly (<0.05) reduced diabetic and hypertension as well as oxidative stress. A molecular docking study showed that the YY and IP peptide have a significantly strong binding affinity to the active site of the ACE enzyme and α-amylase with -7.8Kcal/mol and -6.2Kcal/mol, respectively. The Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and Swiss ADME data analysis showed that less toxicity risk, good physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and drug-likeness with drug scores 0.45 and 0.55 of YY and IP peptides, respectively. Thus, rice bran bioactive could be a good candidate for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension.

Keywords: anti-hypertensive and anti-hyperglycemic, anti-oxidative, bioinformatics, in vitro study, rice bran proteins and peptides

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Authors: Madhuri Goswami

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The matrix of power establishes the hegemonic dominance and supremacy of one group through exercising repression and relegation upon the other. However, the injustice done to any race, ethnicity, or caste has instigated the protest and resistance through various modes -social campaigns, political movements, literary expression and so on. Consequently, the search for identity, the means of claiming it and strive for recognition have evolved as the persistent phenomena all through the world. In the discourse of protest and minority literature, these two discourses -African American and Indian Dalit- surprisingly, share wrath and anger, hope and aspiration, and quest for identity and struggle for self-assertion. African American and Indian Dalit are two geographically and culturally apart communities that stand together on a single platform. This paper has sought to comprehend the form and investigate the formation of identity in general and in the literary work of Toni Morrison and Indian Dalit writing, particular, i.e., Black identity and Dalit identity. The study has speculated two types of identity, namely, individual or self and social or collective identity in the literary province of these marginalized literature. Morrison’s work outsources that self-identity is not merely a reflection of an inner essence; it is constructed through social circumstances and relations. Likewise, Dalit writings too have a fair record of discovery of self-hood and formation of identity, which connects to the realization of self-assertion and worthiness of their culture among Dalit writers. Bama, Pawar, Limbale, Pawde, and Kamble investigate their true self concealed amid societal alienation. The study has found that the struggle for recognition is, in fact, the striving to become the definer, instead of just being defined; and, this striving eventually, leads to the introspection among them. To conclude, Morrison as well as Indian marginalized authors, despite being set quite distant, communicate the relation between individual and community in the context of self-consciousness, self-identification and (self) introspection. This research opens a scope for further research to find out similar phenomena and trace an analogy in other world literatures.

Keywords: identity, introspection, self-access, struggle for recognition

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Authors: Axel Mancebo, Ana M. Bada, Angel Casacó, Bárbara González, Avelina León, María E. Arteaga, Consuelo González, Belinda Sánchez, Adriana Carr, Nuris Ledón, Arianna Iglesias

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Despite the many preventive and therapeutic modalities aimed at curing cancer, it remains as a serious world health problem. Promising recent developments suggest that cancer immunotherapy may be the next great hope for cancer treatment. EGFRs are receptor tyrosine kinases and it is considered an important therapeutic target related with tumor progression, and several types of molecular therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, small molecules, and vaccines, have been developed to target the HER family of receptors. On the other hand, gangliosides are membrane glycosphingolipids that contain two variants of sialic acid, the N-acetylated (NeuAc) and the N-glycolylated (NeuGc) variant. The high expression of this antigen-specific molecule has been associated with malignant tumor progression and immunosuppressive mechanisms, so ganglioside could be considered as the target for cancer immunotherapy. We have been working for several years in the safety evaluation of cancer vaccines targeting these two systems, the EGF receptor and ganglioside. We presented in this work results of repeated dose toxicity studies performed in Sprague Dawley rats and Cynomolgus monkeys, including clinical observations, body weight and rectal temperature measuring, clinical pathology analysis, gross necropsy and histological examination in rodent studies, and immunological evaluation. Immunizations were capable of inducing mainly inflammatory effects at the injection site, with findings largely attributable to the adjuvants used and probably enhanced by the immunological properties of the antigens. In general, these vaccines were shown to be well tolerated, and these studies in relevant species allow treating cancer patients with tumors during long periods with relative weight safety margin.

Keywords: cancer vaccines, safety, toxicology, rats, non human primates

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Authors: Chih-Hsin Lin, Shyh-Yuan Lee, Yuan-Min Lin

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For many tissue engineering applications, an important goal is to create functional tissues in-vitro, and such tissues to be viable, they have to be vascularized. Endothelial cells (EC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are promising candidates for vascularization. However, both of them have limited expansion capacity and autologous cells currently do not exist for either ECs or EPCs. Therefore, we use bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as a source material for ECs. Growth supplements are commonly used to induce MSC differentiation, and further improvements in differentiation conditions can be made by modifying the cell's growth environment. An example is pre-treatment of the growth dish with gas plasma, in order to modify the surface functional groups of the material that the cells are seeded on. In this work, we compare the effects of different gas plasmas on the growth and differentiation of MSCs. We treat the dish with different plasmas (CO2, N2, and O2) and then induce MSC differentiation with endothelial growth medium-2 (EGM-2). We find that EGM-2 by itself upregulates EC marker CD31 mRNA expression, but not VEGFR2, CD34, or vWF. However, these additional EC marker expressions were increased for cells seeded on plasma treated substrates. Specifically, for EC markers, we found that N2 plasma treatment upregulated CD31 and VEGFR-2 mRNA expressions; CO2 plasma treatment upregulated CD34 and vWF mRNA expressions. The osteogenic markers ALP and osteopontin mRNA expressions were markedly enhanced on all plasma-treated dishes. We also found that plasma treatment in conjunction with EGM-2 growth medium can enhance MSCs differentiation into endothelial-like cells and osteogenic-like cells. Our work shows that the effect of the growth medium (EGM-2) on MSCs differentiation is influenced by the plasma modified surface chemistry of the substrate. In conclusion, plasma surface modification can enhance EGM-2 effectiveness and induced both endothelial and osteogenic differentiation. Our findings provide a method to enhance EGM-2 based cell differentiation, with consequences for tissue engineering and stem cell biology applications.

Keywords: endothelial differentiation, EGM-2, osteogenesis, plasma treatment, surface modification

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Authors: Neuma Chaveiro, Juliana Guimarães Faria

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Introduction: The thematic that guides this study is teacher training for the teaching of sign language in a perspective of bilingual education – specifically aimed at Brazilian public schools that offer inclusive education, and that have, among its students, deaf children who use Brazilian Sign Language as a means of communication and expression. In the Teacher Training Course for Letters/Libras at the Universidade Federal de Goiás/UFG, we developed a bilingual education project for the deaf, linked to PIBID (Institutional Scholarship for Teaching Initiation Program), funded by the Brazilian Federal Government through CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel). Goals: to provide the education of higher education teachers to work in public schools in basic education and to insert students from the UFG’s Letters/Libras course in the school’s daily life, giving them the opportunity for the creation and participation in methodological experiences and of teaching practices in order to overcome the problems identified in the teaching-learning process of deaf students, in a bilingual perspective, associating Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) and Portuguese. Methodology: qualitative approach and research-action, prioritizing action – reflection – action of the people involved. The Letters-Libras PIBID of the College of Letters/UFG, in this qualitative context, is guided by the assumptions of investigation-action to contribute to the education of the Libras teacher. Results: production of studies and researches in the area of education, professionalization and teaching practice for the degree holder in Letters: Libras; b) studies, research and training in bilingual education; c) clarification and discussion of the myths that permeate the reality of users of sign languages; d) involving students in the development of didactic materials for bilingual education. Conclusion: the PIBID Project Letters/Libras allows, both to the basic education school and to the teachers in training for the teaching of Libras, an integrated and collective work partnership, with discussions and changes in relation to bilingual education for the deaf and the teaching of Libras.

Keywords: deaf, sign language, teacher training, educacion

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Authors: Ravi Ande, Mousumi Hazari

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One of the common geophysical techniques for mapping subsurface geo-electrical structures, extensive hydro-geological research, and engineering and environmental geophysics applications is the use of time domain electromagnetic (TDEM)/transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings. A large transmitter loop for energising the ground and a small receiver loop or magnetometer for recording the transient voltage or magnetic field in the air or on the surface of the earth, with the receiver at the center of the loop or at any random point inside or outside the source loop, make up a large loop TEM system. In general, one can acquire data using one of the configurations with a large loop source, namely, with the receiver at the center point of the loop (central loop method), at an arbitrary in-loop point (in-loop method), coincident with the transmitter loop (coincidence-loop method), and at an arbitrary offset loop point (offset-loop method), respectively. Because of the mathematical simplicity associated with the expressions of EM fields, as compared to the in-loop and offset-loop systems, the central loop system (for ground surveys) and coincident loop system (for ground as well as airborne surveys) have been developed and used extensively for the exploration of mineral and geothermal resources, for mapping contaminated groundwater caused by hazardous waste and thickness of permafrost layer. Because a proper analytical expression for the TEM response over the layered earth model for the large loop TEM system does not exist, the forward problem used in this inversion scheme is first formulated in the frequency domain and then it is transformed in the time domain using Fourier cosine or sine transforms. Using the EMLCLLER algorithm, the forward computation is initially carried out in the frequency domain. As a result, the EMLCLLER modified the forward calculation scheme in NLSTCI to compute frequency domain answers before converting them to the time domain using Fourier Cosine and/or Sine transforms.

Keywords: time domain electromagnetic (TDEM), TEM system, geoelectrical sounding structure, Fourier cosine

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Authors: Neha Devi, P. K. Joshi

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Fire fuel map is one of the most critical factors for planning and managing the fire hazard and risk. One of the most significant forms of global disturbance, impacting community dynamics, biogeochemical cycles and local and regional climate across a wide range of ecosystems ranging from boreal forests to tropical rainforest is wildfire Assessment of fire danger is a function of forest type, fuelwood stock volume, moisture content, degree of senescence and fire management strategy adopted in the ground. Remote sensing has potential of reduction the uncertainty in mapping fuels. Hyperspectral remote sensing is emerging to be a very promising technology for wildfire fuels characterization. Fine spectral information also facilitates mapping of biophysical and chemical information that is directly related to the quality of forest fire fuels including above ground live biomass, canopy moisture, etc. We used Hyperion imagery acquired in February, 2016 and analysed four fuel characteristics using Hyperion sensor data on-board EO-1 satellite, acquired over the Shiwalik Himalayas covering the area of Champawat, Uttarakhand state. The main objective of this study was to present an overview of methodologies for mapping fuel properties using hyperspectral remote sensing data. Fuel characteristics analysed include fuel biomass, fuel moisture, and fuel condition and fuel type. Fuel moisture and fuel biomass were assessed through the expression of the liquid water bands. Fuel condition and type was assessed using green vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation and soil as Endmember for spectral mixture analysis. Linear Spectral Unmixing, a partial spectral unmixing algorithm, was used to identify the spectral abundance of green vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation and soil.

Keywords: forest fire fuel, Hyperion, hyperspectral, linear spectral unmixing, spectral mixture analysis

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Authors: Mona Alharbi

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Melioidosis has emerged as a lethal disease. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms of virulence and pathogenicity of Burkholderia pseudomallei remain unknown. However, proteomics research has selected putative targets in B. pseudomallei that might play roles in the B. pseudomallei virulence. BPSL 2418 putative protein has been predicted as a free methionine sulfoxide reductase and interestingly there is a link between the level of the methionine sulfoxide in pathogen tissues and its virulence. Therefore in this work, we describe the cloning expression, purification, and crystallization of BPSL 2418 and the solution of its 3D structure using X-ray crystallography. Also, we aimed to identify the substrate binding and reduced forms of the enzyme to understand the role of BPSL 2418. The gene encoding BPSL2418 from B. pseudomallei was amplified by PCR and reclone in pETBlue-1 vector and transformed into E. coli Tuner DE3 pLacI. BPSL2418 was overexpressed using E. coli Tuner DE3 pLacI and induced by 300μM IPTG for 4h at 37°C. Then BPS2418 purified to better than 95% purity. The pure BPSL2418 was crystallized with PEG 4000 and PEG 6000 as precipitants in several conditions. Diffraction data were collected to 1.2Å resolution. The crystals belonged to space group P2 21 21 with unit-cell parameters a = 42.24Å, b = 53.48Å, c = 60.54Å, α=γ=β= 90Å. The BPSL2418 binding MES was solved by molecular replacement with the known structure 3ksf using PHASER program. The structure is composed of six antiparallel β-strands and four α-helices and two loops. BPSL2418 shows high homology with the GAF domain fRMsrs enzymes which suggest that BPSL2418 might act as methionine sulfoxide reductase. The amino acids alignment between the fRmsrs including BPSL 2418 shows that the three cysteines that thought to catalyze the reduction are fully conserved. BPSL 2418 contains the three conserved cysteines (Cys⁷⁵, Cys⁸⁵ and Cys¹⁰⁹). The active site contains the six antiparallel β-strands and two loops where the disulfide bond formed between Cys⁷⁵ and Cys¹⁰⁹. X-ray structure of free methionine sulfoxide binding and native forms of BPSL2418 were solved to increase the understanding of the BPSL2418 catalytic mechanism.

Keywords: X-Ray Crystallography, BPSL2418, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Melioidosis

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Authors: Qi LI, Xu Lin, Nengming Lin

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Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of desmocollin 2 (DSC2) protein in the proliferation, migration and drug resistance of lung cancer cells. Method: CCK-8 assays and colony formation assays were used to evaluate the effect of dsc2 regulation on cancer cell viability and colony formation. Transwell assays and wound healing assays were also performed. Cell flow double staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells with DSC2, which was added cisplatin. Western blot assay was used to detect cell cycle, PI3k/Akt and apoptosis-related proteins. Results: Our data showed that dsc2 is upregulated in clinical lung cancer tissues compared with pericarcinomatous tissues, and it is differentially expressed in lung cancer cell lines. The down-regulation of dsc2 in A549 and H358 lung cancer cells significantly suppressed the cell proliferation, metastasis, and motility. In contrast, the opposite effects were observed in overexpression of dsc2 both in H23 and PC9 cell lines. In addition to lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, we also examined its expression in lung squamous cell lines, such as H226. Western blotting showed that dsc2 could reduce the level of phosphorylated Akt (Ser 473) and p-mTOR. Thus, it is speculated that dsc2 up-regulation promotes proliferation and invasiveness through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Also, knockdown of dsc2 in A549 and H226 could significantly decreased in the levels of cyclinB and wee1 protein. Additionally, flow cytometry showed that dsc2 knockdown combined with cisplatin could significantly enhance cell apoptosis rate. Conclusion: These data suggest that dsc2 promotes the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells in vitro. Also, the results suggested that dsc2 could affect the cell cycle and apoptosis of lung cells. Furthermore, knockdown of dsc2 could sensitize cisplatin in both lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell lines. Thus we suggested that dsc2 can be used as a therapeutic target for lung cancer.

Keywords: desmocollin 2, cisplatin, lung cancer, PI3K/AKT, lung squamous cell

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Authors: Ahn Christine Myunghee, Sim Wonjin, Cho Kristina, Ahn Mira, Hong Yeju, Kwok Jihae, Lim Sooyeon, Park Hansol

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With a sharp increase in the prevalence rate for mental health issues in Korea, there is a need for specific and effective intervention strategies in counseling and psychotherapy for use with Korean clients. With the cultural emphasis on restraining emotional expression and not disclosing personal and familial problems to outsiders, clients often find it difficult to discuss their emotional issues even to therapists. Exploring a client’s internal psychological processes bypassing this culture-specific mode of therapeutic communication often becomes a challenge in the therapeutic setting. Given this socio-cultural context, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of using dream work to individuals in Korea. The current study conducted one 60-90 minute dream session and analyzed the dream content of 39 Korean young adults to evaluate the effectiveness of the Hill dream model in accessing the intra-psychic materials, determining essential emotional themes, and learning how the individuals interpreted the contents of their dreams. The transcribed data, which included a total of 39 sessions from 39 volunteer university students, were analyzed by the Consensus Qualitative Research (CQR) approach in terms of domains and core ideas. Self-report measures on Dream Salience, Gains from Dream Interpretations and the Session Evaluation Scale were administered before and after each of their dream sessions. The results indicated that dream work appears to be an effective way to understand unconscious motivations, thoughts, and feelings related to a person’s sense of self, and also how these people relate to other people. Current findings need to be replicated with clients referred for counseling and psychotherapy to determine if the dream work is an appropriate and useful intervention in counseling settings. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for future follow-ups are included in the discussion.

Keywords: dream work, dream interpretation, Korean, young adults, CQR

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Authors: Snehal D. Ganjave, Hardik Dodia, Avinash V. Sunder, Swati Madhu, Pramod P. Wangikar

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Batch cultivation of recombinant bacteria in shake flasks results in low cell density due to nutrient depletion. Previous protocols on high cell density cultivation in shake flasks have relied mainly on controlled release mechanisms and extended cultivation protocols. In the present work, we report an optimized fed-batch process for high cell density cultivation of recombinant E. coli BL21(DE3) for protein production. A cybernetic model-based, multi-objective optimization strategy was implemented to obtain the optimum operating variables to achieve maximum biomass and minimized substrate feed rate. A syringe pump was used to feed a mixture of glycerol and yeast extract into the shake flask. Preliminary experiments were conducted with online monitoring of dissolved oxygen (DO) and offline measurements of biomass and glycerol to estimate the model parameters. Multi-objective optimization was performed to obtain the pareto front surface. The selected optimized recipe was tested for a range of proteins that show different extent soluble expression in E. coli. These included eYFP and LkADH, which are largely expressed in soluble fractions, CbFDH and GcanADH , which are partially soluble, and human PDGF, which forms inclusion bodies. The biomass concentrations achieved in 24 h were in the range 19.9-21.5 g/L, while the model predicted value was 19.44 g/L. The process was successfully reproduced in a standard laboratory shake flask without online monitoring of DO and pH. The optimized fed-batch process showed significant improvement in both the biomass and protein production of the tested recombinant proteins compared to batch cultivation. The proposed process will have significant implications in the routine cultivation of E. coli for various applications.

Keywords: cybernetic model, E. coli, high cell density cultivation, multi-objective optimization

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Authors: Jakub Vávra, Milan Valenta, Petr Kosek

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This article presents a perspective on the conduct of the dramatherapy process with persons with addictive behaviours with regard to the directiveness of the process. Although drama therapy as one of the creative arts approaches is rather non-directive in nature, depending on the clientele, there may be a need to structure the process more and, depending on the needs of the clients, to guide the process more directive. The specificity for people with addictive behaviours is discussed through the prism of the dramatherapeutic perspective, where we can find both a psychotherapeutic component as well as a component touching on expression and art, which is rather non-directive in nature. Within the context of practice with clients, this theme has repeatedly emerged and dramatherapists themselves have sought to find ways of coping with clients' demands and needs for structure and guidance within the dramatherapy process. Some of the outcomes from the supervision work also guided the research. Based on this insight, the research questions were approached. The first research question asks: in what ways is directive in dramatherapy manifested and manifested in the process? The second research question then complements the first and asks: to which phenomena are directivity in dramatherapy linked? In relation to the research questions, data were collected using focus groups and field notes. The qualitative approach of Content analysis and Relational analysis was chosen as the methodology. For analyzing qualitative research, we chose an Inductive coding scheme: Open coding, Axial coding, Pattern matching, Member checking, and Creating a coding scheme. In the presented partial research results, we find recurrent schemes related to directive coding in drama therapy. As an important element, directive leadership emerges in connection with safety for the client group, then in connection with the clients' order and also the department of the facility, and last but not least, to the personality of the drama therapist. By careful analysis and looking for patterns in the research results, we can see connections that are impossible to interpret at this stage but already provide clues to our understanding of the topic and open up further avenues for research in this area.

Keywords: dramatherapy, directivity, personal approach, aims of dramatherapy process, safetyness

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Authors: Da Tao, Tieyan Wang, Mingfu Qin

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While social robots have been increasingly developed and rapidly applied in our daily life, how robots should interact with humans is still an urgent problem to be explored. Appropriate use of interactive behavior is likely to create a good user experience in human-robot interaction situations, which in turn can improve people’s acceptance of robots. This paper aimed to systematically and quantitatively examine the effects of several important situational factors (i.e., interaction distance, interaction posture, and feedback style) on user experience during human-robot interaction. A three-factor mixed designed experiment was adopted in this study, where subjects were asked to interact with a social robot in different interaction situations by combinations of varied interaction distance, interaction posture, and feedback style. A set of data on users’ behavioral performance, subjective perceptions, and eye movement measures were tracked and collected, and analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed that the three situational factors showed no effects on behavioral performance in tasks during human-robot interaction. Interaction distance and feedback style yielded significant main effects and interaction effects on the proportion of fixation times. The proportion of fixation times on the robot is higher for negative feedback compared with positive feedback style. While the proportion of fixation times on the robot generally decreased with the increase of the interaction distance, it decreased more under the positive feedback style than under the negative feedback style. In addition, there were significant interaction effects on pupil diameter between interaction distance and posture. As interaction distance increased, mean pupil diameter became smaller in side interaction, while it became larger in frontal interaction. Moreover, the three situation factors had significant interaction effects on user acceptance of the interaction mode. The findings are helpful in the underlying mechanism of user experience in human-robot interaction situations and provide important implications for the design of robot behavioral expression and for optimal strategies to improve user experience during human-robot interaction.

Keywords: social robots, human-robot interaction, interaction posture, interaction distance, feedback style, user experience

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Authors: Adrián D. García-Soto, Alejandro Hernández-Martínez, Jesús G. Valdés-Vázquez, Reyna A. Vizguerra-Alvarez

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Reinforced concrete bridges designed by code are intended to achieve target reliability levels adequate for the geographical environment where the code is applicable. Several methods can be used to estimate such reliability levels. Many of them require the establishment of an explicit limit state function (LSF). When such LSF is not available as a close-form expression, the simulation techniques are often employed. The simulation methods are computing intensive and time consuming. Note that if the reliability of real bridges designed by code is of interest, numerical schemes, the finite element method (FEM) or computational mechanics could be required. In these cases, it can be quite difficult (or impossible) to establish a close-form of the LSF, and the simulation techniques may be necessary to compute reliability levels. To overcome the need for a large number of simulations when no explicit LSF is available, the point estimate method (PEM) could be considered as an alternative. It has the advantage that only the probabilistic moments of the random variables are required. However, in the PEM, fitting of the resulting moments of the LSF to a probability density function (PDF) is needed. In the present study, a very simple alternative which allows the assessment of the reliability levels when no explicit LSF is available and without the need of extensive simulations is employed. The alternative includes the use of the PEM, and its applicability is shown by assessing reliability levels of reinforced concrete bridges in Mexico when a numerical scheme is required. Comparisons with results by using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) technique are included. To overcome the problem of approximating the probabilistic moments from the PEM to a PDF, a well-known distribution is employed. The approach mixes the PEM and other classic reliability method (first order reliability method, FORM). The results in the present study are in good agreement whit those computed with the MCS. Therefore, the alternative of mixing the reliability methods is a very valuable option to determine reliability levels when no close form of the LSF is available, or if numerical schemes, the FEM or computational mechanics are employed.

Keywords: structural reliability, reinforced concrete bridges, combined approach, point estimate method, monte carlo simulation

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Authors: KuiDong Kang, Hye Bin Yim, Su Ah Kim

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Purpose: Tectorigenin is an isoflavone derived from the rhizome of Belamacanda chinensis. In this study, oxygen-induced retinopathy was used to characterize the anti-angiogenic properties of tectorigenin in mice. Methods: ICR neonatal mice were exposed to 75% oxygen from postnatal day P7 until P12 and returned to room air (21% oxygen) for five days (P12 to P17). Mice were subjected to daily intraperitoneal injection of tectorigenin (1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) and vehicle from P12 to P17. Retro-orbital injection of FITC-dextran was performed and retinal flat mounts were viewed by fluorescence microscopy. The Central avascular area was quantified from the digital images in a masked fashion using image analysis software (NIH ImageJ). Neovascular tufts were quantified by using SWIFT_NV and neovascular lumens were quantified from a histologic section in a masked fashion. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were also performed to demonstrate the anti-angiogenic activity of this compound in vivo. Results: In the retina of tectorigenin injected mouse (10mg/kg), the central non-perfusion area was significantly decreased compared to the vehicle injected group (1.76±0.5 mm2 vs 2.85±0.6 mm2, P<0.05). In vehicle-injected group, 33.45 ± 5.51% of the total retinal area was avascular, whereas the retinas of pups treated with high-dose (10 mg/kg) tectorigenin showed avascular retinal areas of 21.25 ±4.34% (P<0.05). High dose of tectorigenin also significantly reduced the number of vascular lumens in the histologic section. Tectorigenin (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and angiotensin II compared to the vehicle injected group. Tectorigenin did not affect CD31 abundance at any tested dose. Conclusions: Our results show that tectorigenin possesses powerful anti-angiogenic properties and can attenuate new vessel formation in the retina after systemic administration. These results imply that this compound can be considered as a candidate substance for therapeutic inhibition of retinal angiogenesis.

Keywords: tectorigenin, anti-angiogenic, retinopathy, Belamacanda chinensis

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Authors: Rumana Keyani, Haleema Sadia, Asia Nosheen, Rabia Naz, Humaira Yasmin, Sidra Zahoor

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Tomato is a significant crop of the world and is one of the staple foods of Pakistan. A vast number of plant pathogens from simple viruses to complex parasites cause diseases in tomatoes but fungal infection in our country is quite high. Sometimes the symptoms are too harsh destroying the crop altogether. Countries like our own with continuously increasing massive population and limited resources cannot afford such an economic loss. There is an array of morphological, genetic, biochemical and molecular processes involved in plant resistance mechanisms to biotic stress. The study of different metabolic pathways like Jasmonic acid (JA) pathways and most importantly signaling molecules like ROS/RNS and their redoxin enzymes i.e. TRX and NRX is crucial to disease management, contributing to healthy plant growth. So, improving tolerance in crop plants against biotic stresses is a dire need of our country and world as whole. In the current study, fungal pathogenic strains Alternaria solani and Rhizoctonia solani were used to inoculate tomatoes to check the defense responses of tomato plant against these pathogens at molecular as well as phenotypic level with jasmonic acid and spermidine pretreatment. All the growth parameters (root and shoot length, dry and weight root, shoot weight measured 7 days post-inoculation, exhibited that infection drastically declined the growth of the plant whereas jasmonic acid and spermidine assisted the plants to cope up with the infection. Thus, JA and Spermidine treatments maintained comparatively better growth factors. Antioxidant assays and expression analysis through real time quantitative PCR following time course experiment at 24, 48 and 72 hours intervals also exhibited that activation of JA defense genes and a polyamine Spermidine helps in mediating tomato responses against fungal infection when used alone but the two treatments combined mask the effect of each other.

Keywords: fungal infection, jasmonic acid defence, tomato, spermidine

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Authors: Marden Silva, Danielle Guerra

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Some studies have indicated that pronunciation teaching hasn’t been paid enough attention by teachers regarding EFL contexts. In particular, segmental and suprasegmental features through genre-based approach may be an opportunity on how to integrate pronunciation into a more meaningful learning practice. Therefore, the aim of this project was to carry out a survey on some aspects related to English pronunciation that Brazilian students consider more difficult to learn, thus enabling the discussion of strategies that can facilitate the development of oral skills in English classes by integrating the teaching of phonetic-phonological aspects into the genre-based approach. Notions of intelligibility, fluency and accuracy were proposed by some authors as an ideal didactic sequence. According to their proposals, basic learners should be exposed to activities focused on the notion of intelligibility as well as intermediate students to the notion of fluency, and finally more advanced ones to accuracy practices. In order to test this hypothesis, data collection was conducted during three high school English classes at Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais (CEFET-MG), in Brazil, through questionnaires and didactic activities, which were recorded and transcribed for further analysis. The genre debate was chosen to facilitate the oral expression of the participants in a freer way, making them answering questions and giving their opinion about a previously selected topic. The findings indicated that basic students demonstrated more difficulty with aspects of English pronunciation than the others. Many of the intelligibility aspects analyzed had to be listened more than once for a better understanding. For intermediate students, the speeches recorded were considerably easier to understand, but nevertheless they found it more difficult to pronounce the words fluently, often interrupting their speech to think about what they were going to say and how they would talk. Lastly, more advanced learners seemed to express their ideas more fluently, but still subtle errors related to accuracy were perceptible in speech, thereby confirming the proposed hypothesis. It was also seen that using genre-based approach to promote oral communication in English classes might be a relevant method, considering the socio-communicative function inherent in the suggested approach.

Keywords: EFL, genre-based approach, oral skills, pronunciation

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Authors: Marjan Moradi Fard, Hossein Rassi, Masoud Houshmand

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Aim: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting the morbidity and mortality of Iranian women. This disease is a result of collective alterations of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Studies have produced conflicting results concerning the role of p53 codon 72 polymorphism (G>C) and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism (G>C) on the risk of several cancers; therefore, a research was performed to estimate the association between the p53 codon 72 polymorphism and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism in breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 45 archival breast cancer samples from khatam hospital and 40 healthy samples were collected. Verification of each cancer reported in a relative was sought through the pathology reports of the hospital records. Then, DNA extracted from all samples by standard methods and p53 codon 72 polymorphism genotypes and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism genotypes were analyzed using multiplex PCR. The tubules, mitotic activity, necrosis, polymorphism and grade of breast cancer were staged by Nottingham histological grading and immunohistochemical staining of the sections from the paraffin wax embedded tissues for the expression of ER, PR and p53 was carried out using a standard method. Finally, data analysis was performed using the 7 version of the Epi Info(TM) 2012 software and test chi-square(x2) for trend. Results: Successful DNA extraction was assessed by PCR amplification of b-actin gene (99 bp). According to the results, p53 GG genotype and miR-146a rs2910164 CC genotype was significantly associated with increased risk of breast cancer in the study population. In this study, we established that tumors of p53 GG genotype and miR-146a rs2910164 CC genotype exhibited higher mitotic activity, higher polymorphism, lower necrosis, lower tubules, higher ER- and PR-negatives and lower TP53-positives than the other genotypes. Conclusion: The present study provided preliminary evidence that a p53 GG genotype may effect breast cancer risk in the study population, interacting synergistically with miR-146a rs2910164 CC genotype. Our results demonstrate that the testing of p53 codon 72 polymorphism genotypes and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism genotypes in combination with clinical parameters can serve as major risk factors in the early identification of breast cancers.

Keywords: breast cancer, p53 codon 72 polymorphism, miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism, genotypes

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Authors: Aoxue Yang, Weili Tian, Yonghe Wu, Haikun Liu

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Brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) are resistant to therapy and give rise to recurrent tumors. These rare and elusive cells are likely to disseminate during cancer progression, and some may enter dormancy, remaining viable but not increasing. The identification of dormant BTSCs is thus necessary to design effective therapies for glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Little progress has been made in therapeutic treatment of glioblastoma in the last decade despite rapid progress in molecular understanding of brain tumors1. Here we show that the stress hormone glucocorticoid is essential for the maintenance of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs), which are resistant to conventional therapy. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulates metabolic plasticity and chemoresistance of the dormant BTSC via controlling expression of GPD1 (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1), which is an essential regulator of lipid metabolism in BTSCs. Genomic, lipidomic and cellular analysis confirm that GR/GPD1 regulation is essential for BTSCs metabolic plasticity and survival. We further demonstrate that the GR agonist dexamethasone (DEXA), which is commonly used to control edema in glioblastoma, abolishes the effect of chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) by upregulating GPD1 and thus promoting tumor cell dormancy in vivo, this provides a mechanistic explanation and thus settle the long-standing debate of usage of steroid in brain tumor patient edema control. Pharmacological inhibition of GR/GPD1 pathway disrupts metabolic plasticity of BTSCs and prolong animal survival, which is superior to standard chemotherapy. Patient case study shows that GR antagonist mifepristone blocks tumor progression and leads to symptomatic improvement. This study identifies an important mechanism regulating cancer stem cell dormancy and provides a new opportunity for glioblastoma treatment.

Keywords: cancer stem cell, dormancy, glioblastoma, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1, glucocorticoid receptor, dexamethasone, RNA-sequencing, phosphoglycerides.

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Authors: Reena Aggarwal

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Wall art is a manifestation of the human mind and an absorbing form of cultural expression. Solapur wall hanging making art reflects cultural values, regional sensibilities, beliefs, and identity and helps to preserve the many different communities. The tango of warp and weft in many ways than one tells the story of civilization itself. Solapur wall hanging is a poem in multicolor, written with the warp and weft having long, rich, and complex history with indigenous design vocabularies made by the Padmasali communities. The wall-hanging weaving of Solapur has remained unaltered for years, from being very basic and monochrome having landscapes and portraits catering only to the local market, thereby becoming a potential family income generation tool. The study focuses on the need for contemporization of the Solapur wall hanging and also deliberates on the fact that wherever the culture of native people has been aided by intervention, in nearly every case, the quality of their craft has began to be enhanced. The study also found the underlying reason for diminishing sales to a declining market, low sales, lack of innovation in design, and product development. Keeping in mind that the artisans of Solapur have heroically always hold on to their ancient beliefs and practices, which give them strength and identity, and a sense of pride, an intervention program was developed with an objective of widening the market and help artisans have a sustaining income which include urban consumers and create designs suitable for the urban market. The process of defining and measuring the advantages of design intervention was achieved by using qualitative research methods. An ethnographic research methodology was adopted, which includes six months of close interface with artisans from ten families engaged in making of wall hanging in Solapur. Design solutions were proposed in terms of product diversification and design extensions of the existing product line for increased variety. A collection of contemporary wall arts (wall decor) and room dividers were designed and developed.

Keywords: wall hanging, Solapur, contemporization, traditional, sustainable

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Authors: Min-Chien Su, Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Guan-Xuan Wu, Shyh-Ming Kuo

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Lung cancer is one of the clinically challenging malignant diseases worldwide. For efficient therapeutics in cancer, combination therapy has developed to acquire a better outcome. PLK-1 was one of the major factors affecting cell mitosis in cancer cells, its inhibitor Bi6727 was proven effective in treating several different cancers namely oral cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. Despite its low toxicity toward normal cells compared to traditional chemotherapy, it is still yet to be evaluated in detail. Livistona Chinensis (LC) is a Chinese herb that used as a traditional prescription to treat lung cancer. Due to the uncertainty of the efficacy of LC, we utilized a water extraction method to extract the Livistona Chinensis and then lyophilized into powder for further study. In this study we investigated the antiproliferation activities of Bi6727 and LC extracts (LCE) on A549 non-small lung cancer cells. The IC50 of Bi6727 and LCE on A549 are 60 nM and 0.8 mg/mL, respectively. The fluorescent staining images shown nucleolus damage in cells treated with Bi6727 and mitochondrial damage after treated with LCE. A549 cells treated with Bi6727 and LCE showed increased expression of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins from Western blot assay. LCE also inhibited A549 cells growth keeping cells at G2-M phase from cell cycle assay. Apoptosis assay results showed that LCE induced late apoptosis of A549 cells. JC-1 assay showed that the mitochondria damaged at the LCE concentration of 0.4 mg/mL. In our preliminary anti-proliferation test of combined LCE and Bi-6727 on A549 cells, we found a dramatically decrease in proliferation after treated with LCE first for 24-h and then Bi-6727 for extra 24-h. This was an important finding regarding synergistic anti-proliferation effect of these drugs, However, the usage, the application sequence of LCE and Bi-6727 on A549 cells and their related mechanisms still need to be evaluated. In summary, the drugs exerted anti-proliferation effect on A549 cells independently. We hopefully combine the usage of these two drugs will bring a different and potential outcome in treating lung cancer.

Keywords: anti-proliferation, A549, Livistona Chinensis fruit extracts, PLK-1 inhibitor

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Authors: Israel B. Bitton

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“Memory” is associated with various phenomena, from physical to mental, personal to collective and historical to cultural. As part of a broader exploration of memory studies in philosophy and science (slated for academic publication October 2021), this specific study employs analytical methods of cognitive psychology and philosophy of memory to theorize that A) the primary human will (drive) is to significance, in that every human action and expression can be rooted in a most primal desire to be cosmically significant (however that is individually perceived); and B) that the will to significance manifests as the will to memorability, an innate desire to be remembered by others after death. In support of these broad claims, a review of various popular culture “touchpoints”—historic and contemporary records spanning literature, film and television, traditional news media, and social media—is presented to demonstrate how this very theory is repeatedly and commonly expressed (and has been for a long time) by many popular public figures as well as “everyday people.” Though developed before COVID, the crisis only increased the theory’s relevance: so many people were forced to die alone, leaving them and their loved ones to face even greater existential angst than what ordinarily accompanies death since the usual expectations for one’s “final moments” were shattered. To underscore this issue of, and response to, what can be considered a sociocultural “memory gap,” this study concludes with a summary of several projects launched by journalists at the height of the pandemic to document the memorable human stories behind COVID’s tragic warped speed death toll that, when analyzed through the lens of Viktor E. Frankl’s psychoanalytical perspective on “existential meaning,” shows how countless individuals were robbed of the last wills and testaments to their self-significance and memorability typically afforded to the dying and the aggrieved. The resulting insight ought to inform how government and public health officials determine what is truly “non-essential” to human health, physical and mental, at times of crisis.

Keywords: cognitive psychology, covid, neuroscience, philosophy of memory

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